Former Tenn. Gov. Bredesen Won't Run Against GOP's Alexander

Former Tennessee Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen says he’s not planning to run for the nomination to oppose GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander in 2014.

Many Democrats see Bredesen as their best hope to topple Alexander.

But when asked about running Monday, he told The Tennessean editorial board, “I don’t think so. I’m always careful to never say never. But I’m not doing anything remotely that you would expect me to be doing at this point if I were to be interested in doing that.”

Then Bredesen offered a quip. “As I’ve told some of the recruiters, I don’t think I’d like it, and I don’t think you’d like me.”

Alexander announced Saturday that he is running for a third term, and he already has the support of most of the state’s Republican leadership.

The true danger for the senator would be a primary challenge from the right, according to Politico. Now such a threat looks unlikely, so Alexander may be a shoe-in.